A David Rovics Review

[Eye See You]

A David Rovics review. Tuesday, September 20, 2005


A troubadour’s testimony,

Yeah, let’s see Toby Keith quote Bertoldt Brech. Oh, am I sounding a little snobbish? Too fucking bad! This Woody Guthrie, “Aw shucks” populism is cute but can be exploitative. Marxists or Capitalist pigs can exploit it as well. We speak the common language of the plebeian is so fake. Bill O’Reilly does it and Bush the Neo-Nero of our times does it too. Do you think you think CEO’s of oil companies drive S.U.V’s and wear baseball caps with NRA bumper stickers on the fender? Shit no! Former president Clinton is a Rode Scholar for Christ sakes! You need brains my son! And you need a heart to follow behind your brain. Open the door of your mind and let David Rovics in.
Loudon Wainwright had a song back in early 70’s called: motel hell. It was a haunting tune that expressed loneliness in a dramatic folk/blues fashion. I heard this song on KPPC when FM radio was underground. I heard this song when David Rovics was 4 years old. A blues ballad is only acceptable when it expressed personal angst. What Rovics did with his new ballad: New Orleans is make folk/blues topical. When he does the verses of that song, he sounds like old folk ie: Chris Chandler. Now I am going to sound like L.A Times music critic Robert Hilburn: He is topical like Buffy Saint-Marie and political like Phil Oaks. He plays like Loudon Wainwright and sings like Christ Chandler with a spice of Bob Dylan. Now we got that out of the way, let’s get to the crux of the matter, criticism. His song, “New Orleans” hit a high note. It captivates your ears and won’t let go unless you are into hip-hop. Like a chapter in a history book, he capsulate the hurricane Katrina event in a 4 minute song. The music is basic but perfect. His singing is intense but tangible. I listen to his other tunes. The Cindy Sheehan song almost has the same cord progressions as New Orleans. Take the 90’s band: Counting Crows. They made the fatal mistake of making songs that all sound the same. I hope David Rovics diversifies his sound or he will end up as a one hit protest songster. You don’t want to end up like: Jonathan Edwards. Who? You know? That acoustic song from 1972: Sunshine. Oh. If you heard it you remember it.
Now go listen to the song…
http://www.soundclick.com/pro/?BandID=111310